And She Walked Away
by Amaya-EA
Summary: Mai asks Joey to meet her in a park. Unbeknowest to him, she has some shocking news which will change his life forever. Oneshot, unless people like it. Plz R


My first Mai/Joey fic. It's a one-shot, unless lots of ppl review and tell me to continue P

I don't own the characters…just the story

Enjoy

"Thanks for meeting me here, Joey. I really appreciate it." Ten simple words Joey Wheeler _never_ thought he'd hear from the mouth of Mai Valentine.

Joey secretly had a crush on her, but ever since he met her, he figured it would be best if he didn't bring that topic to light.

It was unusual for Mai to want to talk to Joey _at all_. Let alone, ask to be just the two of them. Joey was reluctant at first, to sit down on the park bench next to Mai.

_Better keep my guard up…just in case. _

"Sit down, Joey. I won't bite." Mai smiled. Joey gasped, then sat down. He looked at Mai, perplexed. "What: you've never seen me smile before?"

"Well…not at me." _Shit. That wasn't…what I meant._

Mai had no response to that. They sat silently on that green park bench for a few awkward minutes. To break the tension: Mai cracked her knuckles.

Joey smiled. "That's not good for your fingers, you know." He then proceeded to crack all of his finger knuckles.

Mai laughed. " I can't help it. It's like breathing: if I stop, I'll die. Simple as that."

Joey chuckled. "So: why did I meet you here, again?"

"Because I wrote you a lovely note, on my hand-made _special_ paper?" Mai offered. "And because I need to tell you something."

Joey breathed rapidly in anticipation for Mai's news. _She has a boyfriend. She brought me here, to tell me to leave her alone once and for all._

"You know…I never _did_ properly thank you."

"Thank me?" Joey was confused. "I've never done _anything_ worth being thanked for _in my life, _Mai. So I dunno what you mean."

Mai sighed, and stared up at the sky. "Remember when you duelled me, so I'd snap out of Pegasus' mind-control?"

"How could I forget?" Joey began to reminisce about that horrible evening where he nearly lost Mai. Only to save her, and end up losing his own soul. "I don't regret saving you, Mai. And I never will."

"That's great Joey. But…" _How do I say this? Joey: when I held you in my arms that night…I felt like I could never let you go. My stomach was floaty, my heart was pounding in my throat. I've never felt like that about anyone before. I like you, Joey. I was always being mean to you, in the hopes that those feelings would just go away. But they haven't. and if I don't tell you…I don't know what I'm going to do. I…love you…Joey. _"Joey, I…"

But Joey wasn't looking at Mai anymore. He was looking at the ground. Mai was so deep in her own thoughts, that she hadn't noticed the tears on the ground, in front of Joey.

_Whatever she wants to say…she'd better hurry up and say it. If she's mad at me, or whatever, why doesn't she just say it already! I can't take this. She has no idea…Mai: the day I met you, it was like a sign. I need you in my life. Not just as a friend. I've held this in too long. I should have told you so much sooner…but I was scared. But now I'm ready. I know how to say it, now. _"Mai…"

"Hmm?" Mai looked up. Joey's kind eyes were smiling at her. Joey grasped her hands.

"Mai: I love you."

Mai's eyes went wide. "What did you say?" Mai couldn't believe her ears.

"I love you, Mai. I've loved you since the first day we met. I've never known how to say it…because I was afraid you'd reject me. And…I thought you asked me to come here today…to tell me you had a boyfriend." Joey explained.

"I don't." Mai said quietly.

"And I've kept it in so long, that I thought I might _never_ tell you. But…just now…I dunno why, but I thought_ this_ was a good time." Joey smiled. "I know it's a lot to take in…"

"Damn straight." Said Mai, trying to pull her hands out of Joey's.

"Could you maybe…_respond_ to what I've just said, instead of being snappy?" Joey lifted his hands out from under Mai's. They dropped loudly onto the bench.

"Joey, the reason I brought you here, is because I wanted you to be the first to know: I am leaving." Mai raised her voice, in an effort to keep from crying.

"You're _leaving_?" Joey was in shock. "Why?"

"_So much _has happened here…"

"…so you're gonna book, cuz you messed up your hair a little bit?" Joey interrupted.

"I _can't_ believe you." Mai crossed her arms, in disgust.

"What am I doing wrong? Please enlighten me, Mai. I wouldn't want our _last visit_ to end on a sour note…let alone have _you_hating me."

Mai uncrossed her arms, and looked down at the ground. A single tear slipped down her cheek. "I'm trying to explain…make this easier on _both_ of us. And you're being yourself."

"Hmm? Last I checked: being yourself wasn't against the law." Mai rolled her eyes, and Joey looked at her curiously.

"You're being an insensitive jerk, Joey Wheeler!" Mai shouted. Joey was taken aback. _How dare he. How DARE he!_

"Mai…I'm sorry." Joey tired to put his arm around Mai, to comfort her: but she wouldn't have it. She stood up, and moved slightly away from the bench.

"No you're not. Don't even _try_ to apologise. You meant every word you said, just now. And that's fine." Mai sighed.

"What?" Joey was more confused then ever. _One minute she hates me, the next minute she doesn't. What next._

"I can understand that you're upset about my departure. But now I need _you_ to understand the _reason_ why I'm leaving. Can you do that for me, Joey?" Mai asked politely.

"Yeah, sure." Joey nodded. "So tell me, Mai: _why_ are you leaving?"

"Ever since I met you guys: so_ much_ has happened. And lately…the stuff that's been happening I mean, is just getting worse and worse. And…I don't think _I _can _handle_ _it_ anymore." Another, single tear slipped down Mai's cheek, and she sat down again.

"Mai…" Joey tired to comfort her, but she pulled away. "You know non of us would _ever_ let anything bay happen to you."

"But I couldn't say the same for you guys."

"How do you mean?" asked Joey.

"I'm not strong enough, okay!" Mai shouted. Joey cringed, and Mai tried to clam herself. "_I'm_ not strong enough. You and Yugi, and all your friends: you'd all risk your own lives…not to mention your _souls_…just to help each other…sometime even _save_ each others lives. And all of you showed me that exact, same kindness. I've never had friends…like you guys…" Mai broke off, as she was tearing again.

She breathed in, sniffled a little, then continued. "I doubt _strongly _that I'll _ever_ have friends like you guys again. But that's not my point. My point is: you guys risk your necks for me, but I can't say 100 for sure: that I'd do the same for you. Which is why I came to the conclusion that: if I leave, I won't ever have to get into that situation, where there _is_ a _possibility_…that I _might_ let you guys down."

Mai looked up, to try and read the expression on Joey's face. She couldn't tell _what_ kind of emotions were running through his mind.

Joey sighed. "I guess…I guess if that's what you've decided…I'll stand by you."

Mai's eyes widened. "You mean it, Joey?"

"Yeah…I do." Joey smiled weakly at Mai, who hugged him great fully in return.

"You have _no_ idea what this means to me, Joey." Mai hugged Joey even tighter.

Joey smiled a little bit more. "I think I might, Mai." They separated, and Mai wiped the tears off of her cheeks, and grinned.

"Well…I'm glad we got that all sorted out, because: I have to go." Mai explained. She and Joey stood up. "I couldn't stand the thought of losing you. That's why I wanted you to know first. Plus, it's kind of a bonus that you don't hate me."

"I could _never _hate you, Mai." Joey reassured her.

"Much appreciated." Mai smiled and sighed. She looked at her watch. "I'd better be off: my train leaves in 15 minutes."

She turned to leave. Joey grabbed her hand. "You'll call, right?"

"Hmm?"

Joey laughed. "You're gonna call me right? To let me know where you end up."

"Umm…" Mai hadn't thought Joey would be _this_ interested. _But then again: he _did_ just profess his love to me. _"Of course I will, dufus."

"Just to…" Joey started.

"…check in." Mai finished.

"Sounds like a plan." Smiled Joey.

They hugged once more. "Say 'bye' to everyone for me, okay?"

"Kay." Promised Joey.

Mai turned away and tears formed again. She began to run towards the train station.

"You're coming back, right?" shouted Joey.

Mai stopped running a few feet away from him. She brushed off some tears and faced Joey with a smile. "Probably." She turned away from him again.

"I love you, Mai."

_I love you too. _Mai thought, sadly. "Bye Joey!" she shouted over her shoulder, as she began to run again.

"Goodbye…Mai…"

When she reached the train, Mai's face was thoroughly soaked with tears. She showed the conductor her train ticket, then walked quietly to her seat.

I'm going to miss you: Joey Wheeler. But I don't think I'm going to be able to come back…not soon, anyways.

The train horn honked, startling Mai out of her thoughts.

Mai breathed on the window beside her. She drew a heart. Inside the heart, she wrote: MV + JW

She cried. As the train rolled out of the station, Mai put a big X across the heart.


End file.
